Draw-clasp.



C. E. SACKETT.

DRAW CLASP.

APPLICATION IILED JUNE 8, 1912. 1,064,013, Patented June 10, 1913. i1}. 14%

CHARLES E. SACKETT. OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

DRAW-CLASP.

Application filed June 8, 1912.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June it), 1913.

Serial No. 702,633.

To all whom it may concern.

lie it known that I, (Inannns l SACKXGTL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Danbury, in the county of Fairlield and State ct Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Draw-Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to clasps especially achupted to oin the opposed free ends o't shoe laces, tapes, ribbons and the like, and to make an automatically controlled tension bond between them subject to release at will. It is called a draw clasp; closing the clasp first partially bonds the opposed shoe laces in position, then by exerting a drawing strain upon either or both tree ends (it the laces they may be gradually tightened to any degree of tension which the elasp will take up and hold auttm'iatically without any rcilex action until the clasp is opened. It is believed that this subsidiary movement in a clasp is a novel invention, and an entirely new article of manufacture.

Shoe laces are now usually tied in bows or hard knots, an awkward process l'Qttllll'lIlg an unpleasant bending of the body, and unless tied in hard knots which are hard to untie they are apt to become loose.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which all the detail figures for the sake of clearness are exaggerated in size, but the clasp is shown in position on sections of shoe fronts, of the natural size adapted to the shoe laces shown.

The clasps may be stamped out of cheap metal, or made of gold or silver with embossed or engraved face, and hung with pendants or tassels in an ornamental manner.

In the drawings like numerals relate to like parts.

Figure 1., a top view of the top member of a rectanguhir clasp. Fig. 2, is an inside view of the bottom member. Fig. 3, is a complete end view. Fig. 4:, is an upper side view. Fi 5, shows the clasp open to receive the shoe laces. Fig. (l, is a detail staple. Fig. 7, is a complete end view of an oval clasp. Fig. 8, a top view of the same. Fig. 9, a front view of the same. Fig. 10, a section through line A of Fig. 7. Fig. 11, an open view of the same ready to receive the shoe laces. Figs. 12, 1S and 14-, are sectional alternative details on line 13 of Figs. 1 or 2-, (it the mechanism tor taking up tension on the shoe laces. Fig. 1.5, shows an oval clasp and shoe lace as applied to a front top section of a mans high shoe. Fig. 16, shows an ornamental rectangular clasp as applied to a front top section of a womans shoe. Fig. 17, shows an oblong clasp with wing extensions adapted to wide ribbon laces and low cut shoes. Fig. 1b, shows a clasp with ball snap attached to a shoe lace or hat cord.

11, and 2, are the top and bottom body plates oil? a clasp oil? the character stated; they may be round, oval, rectangular, or any suitable shape. The coinciding side edges 3, are squarely llanged or suitably curved at right angles to the longitudinal body portion of the top and bottom body plates. The flanged edges meet centrally to form an interior space and provide a longitudinal passage between the body plates. The ends 5, and 6, 'lorming the entrance to and exit from this passage for opposed shoe laces and the like are left open in all clasps, the side edges 3, of the top and bottom plates must aline with each other and are hinged together by the hinge pivot 7. The opposite coinciding side edges l, ot the top and bottom plates must also aline with each other and with the edges 3, and are clasped together by the catch 8, and finger spring 9, or in any suitable holdfast manner.

In the space formed between the top and bottom body plates and substantially mid way oi? the passage llexibly supported a longitudinal llat plate 10. This intermediate plate is preferably hinged with the body plates upon the hinge pivot 7. It is of such dimensions as to be. inclosed neatly between the body plates oil. the clasp when closed; upon the upper side of this intern'iediate plate is secured a llexiblc device that will lltil'llllt the passage of a shoe lace in one direction through the aforesaid passage when a drawing strain is exerted upon it, and will automatically prevent its withdrawal in the reverse direction; upon the lower side ot the intermediate plate is secured a similar flexible device that will permit the passage of a shoe lace in the opposite direction when drawn upon, but will likewise prevent its witlulrawal.

As various shapes of this device each producing the same effect may be used, in the sectional Figs. 12, 13, and 1 1, three alterna tive shapes are shown as illustrative of this invention. In Fig. 12, a flat spring 11, with serrated edge 12 (see end View Fig. 3), is riveted at one end to the top of the intermediate plate, and is resiliently inclined upward and longitudinally in the passage so that its serrated edge bears flexibly against the under side of the top body plate. A similar spring 13, with serrated edge 14, is secured to the bottom of the intermediate plate, and resiliently inclined downward toward the opposite end of the passage so that its serrated edge bears flexibly against the upper side of the bottom body plate. It is obvious that, if shoe laces were drawn through the passage above and below the intermediate plate in contrary directions, they would draw freely in the tension direction, and that any reflex action would be immediately and automatically stopped by the serrated edges of the flexible springs, and also without disturbing the closed clasp. In Fig. 13, a cheaper device to the same end is shown. Round pointed pins 15, are secured in the intermediate plate at suitable points; the upper pins are then curved or inclined toward one end of the passage, the lower pins toward the opposite end of the passage; both sets of pins just clear the inner faces of the top and bottom clasp plates by the thickness of a compressed shoe lace, this device while effective is not so flexible as the springs and more apt to abrade the shoe laces. Fig. 14:, shows a swinging cam 16, pivoted in the intermediate plate and operative above and below it in contrary directions. The cam has moderately sharp smooth edges, it is held in an inclined wedgelike position by the upper and lower springs 17, and 18; when a shoe lace is drawn through the passage the wedge point is lowered to pass the lace, but on any return movement it jams the shoe lace against the inner faces of the top and bottom plate and so resists reflex action. In Fig. 10, this swinging cam is shown without any springs, and it will so act well, if not crowded down by too thick a lace. It is again obvious, that the intermediate plate may be left smooth above and below as the sliding bed for the shoe laces, and any of these devices attached to the inner face of the top and bottom body plates for the stop motion; such change merely transposes the mechanism, it would produce the same efiect, but is not so convenient to manufacture.

Figs. 15, 16 and 17, show the clasp of normal size and appearance on the fronts of shoes for men and women. It will be found more convenient to attach the clasp centrally by its bot-tom leaf to the tongue of the shoe; for this purpose the flat staple 19, is shown in Fig. 6, and the slots 20 and 21, in the bottom plate of Fig. 2, the staple is passed through the slots and the tongue leather 22, and bent fast as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. In Fig. 11, round holes are used and a round wire staple. The clasp may be attached to the tongue of the shoe between any pair of eyelets at which it is desired to terminate the lacing.

The action of the device is very simple. If the clasp is attached to the tongue leather, it is opened by pressing the spring catch, the shoe being laced up to the tying point; the free ends of the laces are laid in the clasp, one each side of the intermediate plate and in contrary directions; the clasp is then snapped shut, and the shoe laces drawn to any comfortable tension where they will remain held until the clasp is opened to take off the shoes. If the clasp is unattached to the shoe it is held open in position, the laces are laid through it, and the clasp shut, the laces are then drawn tight as desired. If the clasp is loose, to keep it in eXact central position the tension should be evenly drawn in both directions on both laces at once, as is usual in tying shoes. If shoe laces are too long they can be cut off as close to the clasp as desired, and tied tightly with a few turns of similar colored thread, allowing about an inch to fringe out into a tassel.

The clasp is well adapted also to secure the free ends of any two opposed cords that are regularly tied in about the same position such as U. S. army hat cords. In such cases as shown in Fig. 18, one leaf of the clasp is secured to one of the free ends of the cord by a light wire staple 19, (as shown in F ig.'

6), in its usual tying position, the staple presents its movement or loss when the clasp is open. hen about to secure the two ends together, the other free end of the cord is passed through the vacant side of the clasp in a contrary direction, the clasp is then closed, and any desired tension may be eX- erted on the drawing cord which the clasp will automatically take up and hold until it is opened to release the cords.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a draw clasp, the combination of two body plates hinged and clasped together to form a space between them open at the ends providing a passage between them, an intermediate plate arranged midway between said body plates pivotally supported at their hinged side, sharp projections affixed to the upper side of said intermediate plate inclined toward one open end of said passage, and bearing flexibly at their sharp ends against the under side of one of the body plates, corresponding sharp projections affixed to the other side of said intermediate plate inclined toward the opposite o other.

2. In a draw clasp, the combination oil two body plates hinged together at one edge and with a separable clasp connection at the other edge, the plates being formed to provide a space therebetween, said space being open at the ends providing a passage through said clasp parallel with said body plates and their hinge pivot, a swinging intermediate plate arranged between said body plates pivotally supported at their hinge side and parallel with them, said intermediate plate dividing said passage into two compartments through which may be drawn cords, tapes, shoe laces, ribbons and the like, in separated and contrary directions, and longitudinal flexible members arranged in said compartments, one end of said members bearing against said clasp body plates, the other end against said intermediate plate, one end of said longitudinal members being fixed, the other end be ing detached flexible and pointed.

3. In a, draw clasp, the combination of two body plates hinged together at one edge and with a separable clasp connection at u the other edge, the plates being formed to m-ovide a space between them, a swinging intermtaliate plate ananged in said space parallel wit-h said body plates and pivotally supported between them, said intermediate plate dividing said space into two compartments, means arranged in said compart' ments to automatically engage and compress any materials passing through either of them independently or together, and means arranged on one of said clasp body plates for attaching said clasps to any fixed object.

In testimony whereof I, Cnannns E. Saemcr'r, have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscril'iing witnesses, this sixth day 011. June 1912.

CHARLES E. SACKETT. \Vitnesscs:

James 1. \Vnson, A. II. \Vaenrmrnnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

